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Today, we're going to learn how to improve
your writing skills.
Effective writing at a university level requires more
than simply stating information, facts, or data.
You have to know how to synthesize, analyze, and
interpret the information.
The first thing we are going to discuss is the importance
of teaching the reader.
We have to ask ourselves questions in order to figure
out what the reader is having difficulty with.
Sometimes our writing is vague or unclear and we don't know.
Finding a balance between conciseness and ambiguity can
be challenging.
Understanding your reader's expectations and how to
properly develop an argument will help you create an
interesting and thoughtful body of work.
It is also important that we never assume that data or
statements in our writing will speak for themselves.
You have to ask yourself questions like, how have I
analyzed the data?
And how can I connect different ideas and concepts?
The next topic that we will discuss is how to write
literature reviews.
A literature review is typically described as an
explanation, interpretation, and synthesis of existing
literature and studies.
Students assume the purpose is to summarize a work that
already exists, showing you've done the research and
identified important work.
However, it is more important to understand why this
literature is relevant and how it may relate to your study.
You have to ask yourself questions like,
how will I use it?
Are there any questions that are left unanswered?
And, how can I add to this literature?
Using evidence is very important when writing
effective papers.
How you use your evidence will determine the strength of your
work and the depth of your knowledge and thinking.
Evidence comes in four forms, one, ideas and statements
about authorities on the subject, two, examples, either
your own or others, three, statistics and data, and four,
reasons and assessments.
You have to first state your evidence by either
paraphrasing or directly quoting the source.
Paraphrasing is preferred.
And it involves putting essential information and
ideas in your own words.
This helps you understand the meaning of
the original source.
Make sure you are careful not to twist the original source
out of contexts as doing so will be a form of academic
dishonesty.
When you use a quotation, make sure you use it precisely.
Anything that is not your own writing must be cited by using
quotation marks around the quoted source.
It is important to remember that even if the idea is
borrowed, you must cite it.
Providing additional information about the source
will help you connect it to your own ideas, showing
critical thought, analysis, and sophistication.
Lastly, remember to explain why each source is important
in your own words and interpretation.
Now that you have learned the key steps to effective
writing, you can build and strengthen
your university life.